Electrostatic copying machines or copiers of the type which perform processes wherein an electrostatic latent image, formed on a photoconductively treated surface of copy sheet, is developed by contacting the same with a liquid developer; are generally provided with apparatus for drying the copy sheet at a drying station, after the latent image thereon is developed, since the copy sheet becomes wet in the course of developing the image thereon.
At the drying station of one known copier there is provided transporting means including a plurality of O-rings looped around a pair of suitably spaced and driven rollers, to dispose the O-rings abreast of one another in an endless conveyor configuration, for transporting the wet copy sheets, one after the other, in a horizontally extending path of travel through the drying station. And, to dry the wet copy sheets, there is provided a blower fan and suitable ductwork for directing a relatively large volume of air from the fan to the drying station, where the air evaporates liquid developer from the wet copy sheet as it is transported through the drying station. Although the O-rings from which the conveyor is constructed permit air from the ductwork to flow into contact with the surface of the copy sheet which is disposed on the conveyor, thereby facilitating the simultaneous evaporation of liquid developer from both surfaces of the wet copy sheets; the copy sheets are, more often than not, unacceptably damp after passing through the drying station.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus for drying a wet copy sheet in a copier; and
Another object is to provide a copier having copy sheet drying apparatus which includes means for heating a wet copy sheet to facilitate thereafter air-drying the same.